As you may be aware members of our affiliate organization, the California Faculty Association (CFA), have been in negotiations with the California State University (CSU) administration over salaries for the 26,000 faculty members in the CSU system. On November 4, CFA announced that 94% of members voted to authorize strike actions if the statutory bargaining process does not reach an agreement.

CFA is asking for a 5% increase plus service increases for those eligible. After some six years with no salary increases to speak of, this is more than fair. The administration, however, has offered just 2%, including service increases.

On November 17, CSU faculty members and their supporters will gather at the CSU Chancellor's Office at 401 Golden Shore in Long Beach outside the CSU Board of Trustees meeting to show support for the "Fight for Five." I plan to be there to address the rally and demonstrate AAUP's solidarity with our CFA colleagues. I hope I will be joined by many other California AAUP members -- from the CSU, the UC, the community colleges, and private institutions. This is a fight in which we all have a stake.

Thank you to all who cast ballots in our 2015 Strike Authorization Vote. The results are in: Over 94% of members who voted said 'yes' to authorizing the CFA Board of Directors to call a strike.

As President Jen Eagan said at a news conference at San Jose State today, "We are ready to act if necessary and for as long as it takes. This fight is about the bread and butter issue of salary, but that's not all. The vision of what the CSU is, who it serves, and what it can be in the future is at stake. The faculty envision a CSU that educates students without driving them into debt, honors the faculty as the valuable professionals that they are, and elevates California by facilitating the next generation of creative, thoughtful, and brilliant citizens who will sustain the state for generations to come. That's our vision, and we're willing to fight for it.”